I’ll focus on agric, tourism, says Amosun

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has promised to pay more attention to agriculture and tourism as both have the potential to generate wealth and jobs to assist the state achieve self-sustenance.

Amosun said the need to diversify the economy was imperative, following the dwindling drop in prices of oil at the international market.

The governor spoke at the weekend in Maun, Ipokia Local Government Area while addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) members, supporters and residents during his re-election campaign tour.

He said before the discovery of oil in commercial quantity, Nigeria survived mainly on agriculture.

According to him, Nigeria should cease taking oil as the mainstay of its economy as the reality in the global oil market has shown that revenue from crude oil could neither be predicted nor relied upon.

The governor said: “Oil has continued to fall in the international market. That is bad news for Nigeria because as we all know, oil is our mainstay. We are compelled now to shift focus from oil to agriculture where we have comparative advantage.

“Before oil came, Nigeria survived mainly on revenue from agriculture. All the economic wonders performed in Nigeria before Independence were products of agriculture. We must go back to it.”

Amosun said agriculture and tourism potential abound in Ipokia Local Government Area and assured that his administration would accord them priority.

But he reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the exploration on the oil-rich Tongeji Island takes off.

“The falling price of oil will, however, not discourage us from exploring the oil reserve we have here on Tongeji Island. We are committed to its exploration and we shall do it in due course.”